Fireworks
by MaybeBaby1280
Summary: House and Cameron go on a vacay together.  HC smut.  Written for LJ's hcsmutathon challenge
1. Chapter 1

I was walking down the hallway towards my apartment, fumbling for my keys, when my cell rang. Thinking it was probably one of my co-workers with an update on our patient, I dropped my purse in the process of flipping open the phone.

"How's he doing?" I answered. "Are the antibiotics working?"

"Allison?" The voice was that of Sarah, my best friend and roommate from undergrad.

"Sarah? Yeah, it's me. God, we haven't talked in months! How are you?"

I gathered my purse from the floor and entered my apartment while she and I exchanged greetings and small talk. She told me about her new nephew and new car, and I quickly caught her up on my recent debacle with Chase. I had already changed into a pair of yoga pants and a tank top and was settling into the couch with a glass of iced tea when Sarah said, "So hey, there's actually a reason I'm calling."

"Oh yeah? You better not tell me you're pregnant. I swear, if you have a baby before I do…" I joked.

She laughed. "Nope, no buns in this oven yet! I wanted to ask you if you had any plans for the Fourth of July. My aunt and uncle have a cabin in Tennessee and I thought it would be really fun if we could spend a weekend together and just goof off, like we used to in college."

"Wow Sarah, that sounds amazing, thanks for inviting me. But wouldn't you rather have a weekend alone with Justin?" Sarah and Justin had been married for a couple of years, and they were still hopelessly romantic and practically attached at the hip. It would make me sick, if it weren't so blatantly obvious that they were made for each other. I guess they have me to thank for that, since I so selflessly introduced my best friend to my intelligent and extremely attractive acquaintance from med school.

"Yeah, well, the jerk forgot to request that weekend off, so he'll be on call. It's a good thing he's devastatingly handsome, otherwise I'd have him sleeping on the couch for this."

I laughed, enjoying hearing a friendly female voice. I'd been spending way too many hours at work lately and all that sarcasm, snark, and testosterone had been getting to me. And then I realized that I might be in the same predicament as Justin.

"I'm not sure if I can get time off work, either. We've been really busy lately, and I'm sure everyone else in the clinic has already put in their vacation requests for that weekend."

"Allie," She said sternly. "When was the last time you had a real vacation? Besides, you can't resist a quaint, cozy two bedroom log cabin nestled among pines, oaks, and babbling streams, a master suite with a plush king size bed with Egyptian cotton sheets, Jacuzzi bathtub, plasma screen satellite TV, hot tub on the deck, fully equipped kitchen…" Something tells me she had this speech prepared ahead of time.

"Ok, ok! Sarah, enough – you sold me!" I broke out in a huge grin at the thought of all that luxury.

Sarah actually squealed. Like a teenager. "Really? Are you serious? You'll come?"

I sighed deeply, giving in completely. "Really," I said with resolve. "You can count me in, as long as you let me sleep in the master bedroom."

"Oh, Allie! This is great! I'll plan everything, all you'll have to do is show up. It'll be just like old times! I'll email you with all the details. See you in a month!"

"See you in a month. Oh, and Sarah? Thanks."


	2. Chapter 2

I expected June to drag on slowly. Time always seems to stand still when you're anxiously awaiting something. But I was relieved to have the distraction of several challenging cases.

Outside of work, I busied myself with preparations for my trip. I managed to get my time off approved, then booked my flight, and went shopping. New clothes, new shoes, new bikini. Everything was in order, and I was in a perpetual great mood. Not even House's criticisms could bring me down. In fact, he and I seemed to finally be getting past the awkwardness that had lingered between us since his fake cancer diagnosis.

On my last day of work before the trip, I was going through House's mail when my cell phone rang, showing Sarah's number on the caller ID.

"Hey Sarah. You finished packing?" I said as I licked an envelope and sealed it.

"Allie, it's Justin."

"Oh, Justin. Hi. How are you?"

"I'm ok, but listen… Sarah's not doing so great. I'm pretty sure it's food poisoning. She spent the night last night on the bathroom floor."

"Oh." The taste of envelope glue was stuck in my mouth, and I licked my lips. I knew what he'd say next. I felt awful for my friend, but my selfish side immediately reared its head. I was so looking forward to getting away from Princeton.

"I'm so sorry Allie, but there's no way she can make it to Tennessee this weekend. I'm actually about to take her in to work with me and get her started on some IV fluids."

"No, I understand, Justin. Take good care of her, ok?"

"You know it. Hey, Allie, Sarah feels horrible about this. In between heaves, she said that you should go without her. Nobody else is going to be using the cabin, you might as well take advantage of it."

"Justin, that's not fair to her. I mean, it's her aunt and uncle's, I wouldn't feel right…"

"Nope. She insisted. Said that you deserve the R&R more than she does, anyway."

He had a point there. I couldn't remember the last time I took a long weekend off work. Not that Sarah didn't work hard too, but she worked a typical 40 hour week with no weekends or holidays. "Well… I mean, if she's ok with me going. I really do want to get out of New Jersey for a while."

"Go, Allie. If your job is as crazy as mine, and I i know /i it is, then you really need this. And hey, maybe Sarah and I can come up there later this summer and visit you."

"That would be great. Yeah, ok, I'll go. It'll be good to have some time to myself."

"Great! Ok, well I need to get back to holding her hair back. I'll have her call you when she's feeling better."

"Thanks, Justin. Tell her I said hi, and I hope she feels better soon."

I hung up, and sat there at my desk, formulating a plan that was so out of character for me, yet seemed to come as naturally as fixing House his morning cup of coffee.


	3. Chapter 3

I finally found House in an exam room in the clinic, stretched out on the exam table, watching soaps and eating junk food. Wilson was sitting on a stool next to the table, digging in to a bag of Skittles.

I leaned up against the doorframe and folded my arms across my chest. "So you're a slacker now too?"

"No, _he's_ a slacker," Wilson indicated House with a nod of his head. "_I'm_ being forced into hiding from Debbie in Accounting."

"I thought you went on a date with her. Did it not go well?"

"It went too well," House said as he licked a Tootsie Roll Pop. "I'm keeping Casanova here away from her until he loses the urge to go ring shopping and gets the urge to go get me a coffee, like I asked. It's your turn, Jimmy."

Wilson looked at me and shook his head as he whispered, "It's his turn."

"No way, man!" House exclaimed, loudly popping the sucker out of his mouth. His lips were stained red from the cherry candy, making them look even more inviting than normal. "I got coffee the time before last!"

"Which makes it your turn this time," Wilson explained, like he was talking to a toddler.

House looked over at me, rolled the sucker around in his mouth, and said, "Boy, they just don't make best friends like they used to." If he didn't stop indulging his oral fixation like that soon, I'd never last until tomorrow.

"You know what? I've got an appointment with a patient," Wilson said as he got up and stood next to me in the doorway. "And I'm taking my Skittles with me."

"Don't forget to bring coffee when you come back!" House called after him as he left the exam room.

When the door closed, House turned back to the TV and leaned back on the examining table. I sat down on the stool next to him. Unfortunately, I hadn't planned any further than finding House and getting him alone with me. I had no idea what to say now, how to get to the point. How does a woman tell her boss that she would very much like for him to join her for a long weekend of hard fucking in a secluded cabin in the woods?

"So do you have big plans for the weekend?"

"With some help from Jack Daniels and these babies," he said as he reached into his pocket, got out his vial of Vicodin, and swallowed a tablet, "I'm hoping to blissfully float my way into oblivion while everyone else tries to blow their hands off with homemade fireworks. What about you?"

"Remember, I'm going to Tennessee?"

"Oh yeah. Girls weekend out. Gonna have a pajama party with the bears? I hear they don't play fair in pillow fights. Something about the razor sharp teeth and claws."

"Not exactly," I replied, gathering my courage and trying to appear much more confident than I felt. "I just got a call from my friend. She's got food poisoning, so she can't go." He was now swirling his tongue around that damn lollipop and it was making me lose my concentration. I had to get down to business.

"Hm, too bad. Guess you'll just have to hang out in the clinic all weekend." Yeah, right. If he only knew what I had in mind for the next four days.

I wheeled my stool to the head of the exam table and reached out to him, placed my fingertips on his cheek just like I did before, when I kissed him in his office. His eyes searched mine, and I leaned in to him.

"Please tell me you don't have a needle in your pocket."

"House," I said, bringing my lips closer to his so that they were just a whisper away from touching. "Come with me this weekend."

"What's in it for me?" His voice was rough and deep.

"Use your imagination," I replied as I finally touched my lips to his. He instantly deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue into my mouth. God, he tasted so good, like his cherry lollipop, which was now discarded carelessly on the floor. I threaded my fingers through his hair and lightly bit his bottom lip, to which he responded by pulling me off the stool and onto the exam table with him. I straddled his hips and let my hair fall in a curtain around our faces as I leaned over to continue the kiss.

"Is that a yes?" I murmured against his mouth.

"Oh hell yes."


	4. Chapter 4

I couldn't believe I had done it. That was by far my ballsiest move ever. And he actually agreed to join me. Although I made it pretty clear that I was a sure thing, and House is nothing if not a hedonist, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. He called the airline and snagged one of the last few seats left on my flight, and the next morning we were off to Tennessee.

The cabin was exactly the way Sarah had described it: quaint, cozy, and luxurious. House walked from room to room checking things out while I carried my suitcase to the master suite. It was breathtaking. There was a huge four-poster oak bed against the far wall, with pillows piled high and a lightweight down comforter folded at the foot. The side wall was covered in full-length windows that overlooked the view of the stream, and French doors opened to the deck with the hot tub. I walked over to the windows and took in the scenery.

"This sure beats the hell out of camping in the woods." I turned at the sound of his voice, and smiled at him as he walked towards me.

"I'd take this over the Hilton any day," I replied. And it was true. I already felt perfectly content here. Maybe all the fresh mountain air was going to my head, but I felt lighter and more carefree. Less inhibited.

I faced House as he stood next to me. I had anticipated this moment since I invited him – what would happen after the plane ride, after the baggage claims, the car rental, trying to find the place, carrying in luggage. What would I say to him once he was right in front of me, with nothing distracting us?

"I'm glad you're here."

"Yeah, me too."

He looked uncomfortable, and I tried to reassure myself that it was just because of the sudden intimacy of the situation. I closed the distance between us and placed my palms flat against his chest then looked up at him. I had never really noticed just how tall he was, even when I kissed him. He towered above me and I had to crane my neck to make eye contact with him. And then, for the first time, he made the first move.

He leaned down and placed a feather-light kiss on my forehead, right at the hairline. Then his lips brushed my right temple, my cheek, my jaw, and finally my mouth. I felt his hands slide around my waist as we kissed slowly and deeply. I loved the feel of his tongue in my mouth and his stubbly whiskers on my chin. I wrapped my arms around his neck and played with the hair at the back of his head, tugging on it to tilt his head to just the right angle.

Suddenly, the kiss deepened and his lips moved to my neck while his hand slid underneath my t-shirt. His fingers inched their way up my stomach to cup my breasts. I gripped his biceps and moaned at his touch, wanting more. I was reluctant to pull away from his fingers, which were now rubbing my nipples, but I needed desperately to feel his skin against mine. Taking a step back, I crossed my arms and grabbed the hem of my shirt, pulling it up and over my head. I then reached behind my back to unclasp my bra, and it too fell to the floor. I gave House what I hoped was my best sex-kitten grin and stepped towards him, but he stopped me with his hands on my shoulders. The look on his face was breathtaking: his eyes had deepened to an indigo blue and his lips were parted as he tried to catch his breath. He stared blatantly at my bare skin, and he seemed to really like what he saw.

Finally making eye contact with me, he whispered, "God, Cameron." And then I was back in his arms, tearing at his clothes, tugging his t-shirt over his head and working the zipper on his jeans. I could feel his growing erection pressing into my stomach and I moaned at the sensation. We stumbled across the room to the bed and he pushed on my shoulders until I fell onto the mattress. God, his lips and tongue were everywhere, on my neck, sucking my nipples, kissing down my stomach. He tugged my jeans off my hips, pulling my panties with them and leaving me completely exposed to him. He was looking at the evidence of my arousal dripping down my thighs. House was still for a second, just watching me, then he growled deep in his throat, and the sound went straight to my cunt.

I pulled him to the bed with me and yanked his jeans off before straddling his hips. I started grinding against him, teasing his erection against my clit. He was trying so hard to keep himself from just plunging inside me, panting with the exertion. I grabbed two pillows and propped them up against the headboard, then scooted with House until he was sitting upright with his back resting on the pillows. Sitting up on my knees, I looked him in the eyes, held his face in my hands, then sank down onto him.

Fuck. He felt so good. He was big, and it took me a couple of seconds to get used to the fullness. We just sat there, eyes half closed, lips barely touching, sharing each other's breaths. Eventually I started moving, just a small rocking movement at first. He groaned when I squeezed my inner muscles, and I grinned with pride. I made him do that. House was inside me, and I made him tilt his head back and moan with pleasure.

"Cameron." His eyes were open again, and he was holding tightly onto my hips, encouraging me on. "I've wanted this… I've wanted you… for so long…"

I sighed his name and plunged my tongue into his mouth. I raised up onto my knees once again, then lowered onto him heavily, taking him in all the way. I then wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, crossing my ankles at his lower back. With this new angle, his cock hit my g-spot perfectly, and I cried out. I was already so close, and I knew he had to be too.

While kissing my neck, House guided my hands to the bed, one on each side of his thighs. I leaned back, supporting my weight on my arms. With my legs still locked around his waist, I was able to pull him in to me even deeper. House placed his hand on my chest, between my breasts, then dragged it down my body to where we were joined. He was watching us. Watching his cock disappear inside me over and over. His thumb brushed against my clit, started rubbing it in small circles. Every couple of strokes he would slide his thumb down to my entrance to collect more wetness, then move back up to my clit and work it faster. I had never before felt so full, or so perfectly fucked.

I felt my orgasm building in my lower abdomen. He was hitting all the right spots, like he somehow inherently knew exactly how I liked to be touched. My inner muscles started to tighten, my nipples got almost painfully hard, and I was gasping for air. And then it hit me full force. I was coming so hard I could barely breathe, and he was still rubbing my clit, sending me over the edge even further.

"Fuck! House…" Those were the only two words I was capable of at that moment, so I said them again and again. His free hand was behind my back, holding me up. I felt his hips begin thrusting erratically, and then he was coming too.

I've never heard him say my name like that before. Come to think of it, I've never heard anyone say my name like that – my last name. All my previous lovers had called me Allison. To hear House moan "Cameron" while he spilled into me… I felt like he had changed my whole identity, reclaimed me as his own. I belonged to him completely. In that moment, I was i his /i Cameron.

My arms were shaking with the exertion of holding myself up. I collapsed backwards onto his legs, not even caring if I bumped his right thigh. He pulled out of me and we just lay there trying to catch our breath. After a moment, I turned around to lay next to him with my head on his chest, his arm wrapped around me protectively. His skin smelled warm and masculine.

"I think you may have killed me," he said sleepily.

"Don't tell me you're too old to keep up with me," I joked, placing a kiss on his chest.

"Oh that does it!" There was a teasing note to his voice. "You'll pay for that… just as soon as I can move again."

Propping myself up on my elbow, I leaned in for a long kiss. "Well when you can, you just let me know." I stood up next to the bed, stretched, then walked over to the French doors, swaying my hips seductively.

"In the meantime, I'll be in the hot tub." I stepped onto the deck and peeked just my head though the doorway. "Naked." Turning around and walking away from him, I called over my shoulder. "Touching myself."

I've never seen a cripple move so fast.


	5. Chapter 5

I was already slipping into the hot tub by the time he limped his way onto the deck. The warm bubbles enveloped me, soothing away the soreness that lingered in my arms from propping myself up for such a long time. I could only imagine what the water would do for House's leg.

He carefully eased himself into the tub, wincing slightly as he lifted his right leg up and over the ledge. No matter. I was about to make certain that he forgot about any pain there.

"Hey there," I crooned as I stretched my arms out on the side of the tub. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Yeah, I hear there are hot chicks here, so I thought I'd give it a go." He moved through the water to sit by my side and pulled me into his lap. I wrapped myself around him, holding him close to me, savoring the feel of his wet skin against mine. House seemed to relax a bit more with each passing moment. I figured it had to be the therapeutic benefits of the water jets, but hoped that my presence had something to do with it, too.

I pulled back slightly to gaze at his face, and he actually smiled at me. I could probably count on one hand the number of times he had even slightly grinned in the three years I'd been working with him. But this was a full-on tooth-baring smile. The corners of his mouth pulled back, his eyes gleamed, and the skin on his temples crinkled. It was gorgeous. _He_ was gorgeous.

My own lips stretched into a wide smile, and I rested my forehead against his. "What was that for?" I whispered.

"For you." His hands slid up and down my back.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure?" I said as I threaded my fingers through his hair.

"To this…" His hands moved to my face and gently held me, thumbs brushing my cheekbones. My head tilted back just as he smoothed his index finger across my bottom lip.

"And to this…" He traced a line down the side of my neck and across my collar bone.

"And of course, to these…" House cupped my breasts with both hands, rubbing my nipples with his thumbs.

"Oh yeah?" I grinned at him devilishly. "Anything else?"

House bit his bottom lip and arched his eyebrows, as though he was racking his brain for an answer. "Nope, I think that's it." His grin was even more evil than mine.

I dipped my hand into the water and splashed him. "You're a pussy tease, you know that?"

"Mmm, and you love it." At that moment he placed his hand between us and spread my lips apart before deftly sliding two fingers inside me.

I cried out at the sudden rush of sensation. House wasted no time with unnecessary foreplay; I was still slick from my previous orgasm. His fingers delved into me, massaging me as I gripped his shoulders tightly. I wanted so badly to keep eye contact with him this time. It was all I could do to hold my eyes open, but the look I got in return was stunning; his blue eyes seared into me with such intensity, such possessiveness, that I almost couldn't stand it. I started to avert my gaze.

"Don't look away, Cameron," he ordered. I snapped my eyes back to his, gasping as his fingers continued their assault on me.

"You… this…" His voice was softer now, almost reassuring. "Mine." He kissed me tenderly and finally, _finally_ began rubbing my clit.

"Yes… always has been…" That was certainly the truth. From the moment I began working with him, I had belonged to House, and, at least in my mind, he to me. Thank god _he_ finally realized that now too.

I stroked his muscled chest with the palm of my hand, inched my way down his stomach to his straining erection. When I wrapped my fingers around him and lightly squeezed, he groaned and doubled his efforts on my clit. I swirled my thumb around his sensitive head, delighting in the look of pure abandon on his face. He added a third finger and thrusted and twirled them inside me until I cried out and started panting.

"Come for me Cameron," he whispered into my ear. It was both a request and a demand.

I clenched down on him hard, and he closed his eyes and silently mouthed _"Fuck" _while still stroking my clit. I could feel hot liquid pour out of me and onto his hand, into the water. As I was still coming, House spun me around so my back was to the wall of the hot tub. Placing his hands on the tub ledge on either side of my head, he pushed his thick cock into me. His length filled me deeper than his fingers had. If my orgasm had subsided at all, it now came back even stronger. I gripped his shoulder with one hand and rubbed my clit with the other. The buoyancy of the water took the strain off of House's leg, and he thrusted into me hard and fast. With my legs wrapped around his waist, he buried his head in my neck and let out a series of short but forceful grunts as he came inside me, filling me up with his wet heat.

I rode out the last waves of my orgasm before going limp in his arms. He withdrew from me, sat back down, and pulled me into his lap crossways, so my legs were dangling free in the water. Wrapping his arms around me, he rested his head on the hot tub and chuckled lightly.

"Usually not a good idea to laugh at a girl right after fucking her, House," I advised him with a splash of water to the face.

He wiped the water out of his eyes, then said, "No, it's just that you'd think I would have thought of this before. My leg hasn't felt this good post-coitus in years." He placed a series of small kisses down the arm that I had around his neck.

"Yeah, well, you see, that's why I'm a certified sex goddess." He rolled his eyes at this, then stopped, thought for a second, and nodded his head in agreement. "I think of these things."

"So what else do you have in mind for your cranky old bastard?"

"Just you wait and see," I mumbled against his mouth before crushing my lips to his.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: **I really tried to get this chapter finished in time to post yesterday, but I was too busy enjoying my day off work. (read: sleeping in, getting drunk, swimming, and making some fireworks of my own, if ya know what I mean grin) So happy belated 4th of July!

It was only 5 o'clock in the afternoon, the first day of our vacation, and House had already brought me to a screaming climax no less than _six times_. That's more orgasms than I'd had the entire previous month. Let's just say that I had been feeling less than inspired following the crash and burn with Chase. But House… He somehow managed to both satiate me completely, and leave me craving more. We hadn't even unpacked our clothes yet, but we had managed to fuck each other senseless in both bedrooms, as well as the hot tub, the couch, the love seat, and the rug in front of the fire place.

House was currently sitting in the oversized armchair next to the picture window playing his PSP while I was curled up in his lap, glancing at a tourist guidebook of the town. He was wearing a pair of navy blue boxer briefs and I was wearing panties and one of his band t-shirts. It was the most clothing we'd had on since arriving at the cabin early that morning. I was amazed at how quickly we had come to feel totally at ease with each other. I had had no doubts that sex with House would be phenomenal; at work, we constantly shared smoldering glances and repartee dripping with innuendo. But I admit that I'd been worried about the moments in between. Would it be awkward? Would we have anything to talk about? Would it be a repeat of our disastrous date? Shockingly, I had nothing to worry about – yet, anyway. I had yet to see a hint of his normal brooding, grouchy, sarcastic self. But then again, the guy just got laid half a dozen times in one day.

"Damn!" House suddenly cursed at his PSP as he tossed it to his lap. "I can never pass that level without running out of lives."

I nodded at him noncommittally, not averting my eyes from the tourist brochure. As much fun as we were having in the cabin, I did want to head into town at least briefly this weekend. Plus the fireworks were scheduled for tonight.

"Hey Cameron."

"Hmm."

"I'm starving. And this time, for food." I realized that we had totally skipped lunch, unless you count devouring each other. My stomach rumbled in agreement. House took the brochure from me and threw it over the back of the chair before wrapping his arms around me. Christ. Every time he did that I got goosebumps. I never would have pegged him for a snuggler, but he really seemed to enjoy the closeness. Just another of his indulgences, I guess.

"I could definitely eat." I said into his neck. God, his skin smelled so good. I inhaled deeply.

"So, um… You wanna try the dinner thing again?"

"House, are you asking me out? On a date?"

"No. You and I and dates don't mix. This is simply two people who had mind-blowing sex all afternoon, sharing food together."

"Great. It's a non-date." I kissed him then hopped off his lap to go change clothes.

We decided to go casual, with a local steakhouse that was highly recommended in my brochure. I finished brushing my hair and walked out of the bedroom to see House standing by the front door, leaning on his cane, waiting for me. He was dressed in his usual attire – well worn jeans, red t-shirt, tennis shoes – but he looked amazing. Better than normal. He was fucking glowing. I thought only girls were supposed to do that, but he undeniably had a freshly-fucked radiance about him. I couldn't stifle my laugh.

"Usually not a good idea to laugh at a guy right after fucking him, Cameron."

"Sorry, but you're glowing," I said, smirking at him using my own words on me.

"Oh I so am not." He opened the door and gestured for me to go first. I cocked an eyebrow at his chivalry; he was just full of surprises tonight.

"Yes you are."

"Nuh-uh, _you_ are."

"House, shut up and take me out to dinner."

House was a bit more himself at dinner, back in a public setting. He complained about his steak and made the waitress take it back. I rolled my eyes at her in a silent apology for his behavior. I found it a relief, though: while I loved discovering House's passionate, tender, cuddly side, it was good to know that he hadn't turned completely to mush.

We managed to make it through the entire dinner without any awkward silences. Not to say that we made stupid small talk just to fill in the gaps. We talked about music, books, our coworkers. I even listened to him discuss the pros and cons of a Nintendo DS versus a PSP. Important stuff. After we had finished eating, while I was downing the last sip of my beer, I caught him looking at me with a small grin on his face. Almost like he was daydreaming.

"Tell me something, House."

He looked away, fidgeted with his glass before meeting my gaze again. "What's that?"

"Why did you agree to come with me this weekend? I mean, why now, all of a sudden? This almost seems too…. easy."

"Are you calling me easy?" he asked with a smirk.

I sighed. "Yeah, it only took me three years to get you to drop your pants. You're practically a man-whore. No, I just mean that all I did was ask and suddenly you were willing to drop everything and come here with me, and kiss me, and do… other things…. with me, and you're being absolutely lovely, and…"

"Cameron," he interrupted me. "You said that all you did was ask. But you didn't. You didn't 'just ask' this time."

I must have looked very confused, because he sighed, and reached across the table and took my hand in his. His blue eyes met mine directly.

"Every other time you asked. Well, ok, granted you kissed me that one time, but you were about to stab me so that doesn't really count. You were never _really_ sure you wanted what you asked for. But this time… This time you told me. You tracked me down, cornered me in the clinic, put your hands and your lips on me, and _told_ me to come with you. You unequivocally knew what you wanted – how could I deny you?"

"So you get off on being bossed around, is that what you're saying?" I wasn't quite sure what he was getting at here.

"Well, that's a whole other ballpark," he said with a lewd grin as he brushed his thumb over the back of my hand. "What I'm saying is that always before, you wanted to want me. You may have even convinced yourself that you did want me. But this is the first time you were willing to go after what you desired, no ulterior motives, no quid pro quo, damn the repercussions. And that is why I agreed to come here with you. We're on the same page now. Plus you have a smokin' bod, and I've wanted to hit that for a long time." He waggled his eyebrows at me, and I laughed.

I was satisfied with his explanation. It wasn't a declaration of undying love, but I wasn't sure I wanted that, anyway. I just wanted some indication that this wasn't a meaningless weekend fling for him, and in his own elusive manner of sharing his "feelings", that's what I got. _We're on the same page now._

"Now come on," he said, throwing some cash on the table, "let's go make out during the fireworks."

We were running late for the fireworks show, but we wanted to stop by the cabin and grab some lawn chairs and blankets. House complained that his leg was in no condition to sit on the grass for an hour. We were just about to get in the car when we heard the first explosion a short distance off to the east. I looked in that direction and realized that we had a perfect view of the fireworks right there at the cabin. We were at the top of a hill, and there was a small clearing in the trees exactly where the brilliant colors lit up the sky.

"Why don't we just stay here and watch," he said as he dropped the chairs and blankets to the ground. He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close to his body. I placed my hands on his arms and turned slightly to kiss him before looking back at the fireworks. He rested his chin on the top of my head; we were a perfect fit.

"Your leg won't last this whole time, you know," I said as I pulled away to get one of the blankets. I spread it on the ground, then added another one on top of that for extra padding. I lay down and gestured for him to join me. Stretching out beside me, he pulled me to him so that I was using his shoulder for a pillow, his hand lazily stroking my arm. We stared into the night sky, captivated by the blues, reds, golds, and greens. I could feel each boom resonate in my stomach.

We watched the show in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying the flashes of color and the warmth of each other. But then I turned and looked at him, at his face illuminated by the fireworks, his relaxed smile, the rough stubble on his jaw and chin. He must have felt my gaze on him, because he turned and his eyes met mine. He said nothing, but I suddenly lost my breath.

House dipped his head to lean in for a kiss, and I propped myself up on my elbow to meet him. I slid my tongue inside his mouth, noticing for the first time that he now tasted familiar to me. He opened his mouth to me, granting me access. We made out like that – slow, sloppy, lazy – for what felt like an eternity, but must have been only a couple of minutes. The fireworks were nowhere near ending.

I eventually broke the kiss to come up for air, and House rolled onto his side, pushing me onto my back. I looked up at him, into his eyes, and he touched my cheek with his fingertips. They brushed across my face to my lips, where he traced the outline of my mouth. Then he moved down my neck, between my breasts, over my stomach, to slide his hand underneath my tank top. I shivered as his hand danced across my bare skin. I was wearing a front-clasp bra, and he grinned widely when he discovered that. His fingers quickly undid the clasp and pushed the material to my sides. House leaned down to resume kissing me as he rubbed his thumb over my hard nipple. I was becoming dizzy with the sensory overload: the flashes of color in the sky, the deep thundering booms, his lips now on my neck, his hands massaging my breasts, the scent of his skin, the hardness of his erection rubbing against my thigh.

I sat up half way and pulled my shirt over my head then tossed it and the bra to the side. I then started pulling on his shirt, yanking it off of him. His head dipped lower and he wrapped his lips around first one, then the other nipple, sucking and flicking his tongue at it. I wanted so badly to feel his skin against mine – all of him, moving on top of me. I quickly unzipped my jeans and kicked them off, then reached for his belt buckle. Soon his pants and boxers had joined the rest of our clothes, and he was naked on top of me, parting my legs with his hands, dipping his fingers inside me.

House finally positioned himself between my thighs. I could feel him brushing against me, hard and hot. He reached his hand between us, buried his face in my neck, and his cock in my cunt. I instantly clenched down on him and he groaned. We started out achingly slow, him thrusting in time to the fireworks. Every time we heard the faint whistle of a shell being fired into the air, House pulled out. Then the tiny "pop," and he would slam into me just as the loud "boom" shook the ground underneath us.

I silently prayed that the fireworks would speed up so that he would too. I wrapped my legs around his waist so that I could at least feel him deeper in my abdomen. He gasped when I pulled him in closer, gave me a wicked smile, and slammed his hips into me. Again and again he did this. Slow but hard. Placing his lips next to my ear so I could hear each grunt as he thrusted.

Eventually the fireworks did come closer and closer together. They were nearing the grand finale. I grinned at the aptness of the situation: with each boom of the fireworks, each thrust of House's cock inside me, I grew closer and closer to my own finale. House met my eyes with his, took my right hand and brought it down between us, urging me to bring myself over the edge. I placed my fingers on my clit and rocked my hips against my own hand. The sky was now filled with a palette of colors which I saw reflected in House's eyes. He had lost his rhythm; there wasn't one to follow anymore, really.

I swear we both came at the height of the fireworks' finale. Sounds a little too romantic to be real, I know. But he rested his forehead against mine and moaned, and I felt him spasm inside me at the same moment I arched my back in ecstasy. He stopped moving but didn't pull out, and I was coming and coming, still rubbing my clit with my fingers, and he whispered in my ear that I was beautiful and to not stop, and to come for him, just for him. Didn't he know that it was _always_ just for him?

He stayed inside me and we caught our breath. We could hear the crowds clapping and cheering, and I imagined that they were applauding us. We finally moved: House gathered our clothes and I scooped up the blankets, and we walked back to the cabin still naked, our hands clasped.


	7. Chapter 7

I woke up first the following morning, just as sunlight began to pour through the wall of windows in the bedroom. I hated that about my job: working crazy hours meant that I was unable to truly sleep in when I did get a rare vacation. A smile spread across my face as recognition of where I was and who I was with slowly crept into my mind. Yes, I really was in a secluded cabin, curled up in bed in the embrace of House, after having spent the entire previous day making love with him. It felt so much like a vivid dream. But the evidence was snoring lightly next to me under the sheets, his arm slung across my belly and his legs entwined with mine.

I watched him sleep for a few minutes, allowing my gaze to linger on his face, admiring his long eyelashes and perfect lips. At work, he always put on his game face, alternating between stoic, overly sarcastic, and downright rude. A few times I had stolen a glimpse of him in his office when he was concentrating hard on finding the right diagnosis, tossing his tennis ball or twirling his cane while his brow furrowed in thought. He seemed the most real to me in those moments; his guard was down and he was just being House, doing what he does best. But this particular moment far exceeded all previous ones. This was something I had never seen before: House at peace. I felt incredibly lucky to be granted such intimate access to a man who built his life around carefully constructed walls.

House suddenly rolled over in his sleep, taking all the sheets with him. Great, I managed to snag myself a sheet hog. I took one last admiring look at his sleeping form before getting out of bed and throwing on the first pair of comfy shorts and camisole I could find in my suitcase.

Walking into the kitchen, I quickly located the coffee maker and started brewing a pot. As the dark liquid slowly dripped into the carafe, my mind wandered to the previous day. I still couldn't wrap my brain around how quickly we had gone from emotionally distant co-workers to eager lovers. Sure, there had always been the sexually-charged banter and his blatant ogling, but we maintained a level of aloof professionalism. But the things he had done to me yesterday with his lips, his tongue, his hands, were anything but professional. I felt my face flush just thinking about it.

I was pouring the coffee into two mugs when I heard him moving around in the bedroom. He would come out here at any minute, and quite honestly, I was nervous to see him. It's all fun and games until the next morning, when things get oppressively real. I wondered if there would be awkwardness, or even worse, if he would regret this shift in our relationship. Despite our conversation at dinner, this all still seemed just a little too easy.

His off-balance footsteps grew louder, and I braced myself for the worst while praying for the best. His body appeared around the corner and he made a beeline for the coffee. House always did have some kind of radar for a freshly brewed pot. I smiled at him but said nothing, simply taking in the sight of his adorably messy hair, extra scruffy beard, bare chest, and long legs encased in cotton drawstring pajama bottoms. God, I could have jumped him then and there; he looked so incredibly fuckable. He downed a Vicodin with a swig of coffee and braced his hands against the countertop for a few seconds before turning to me.

"What, no breakfast in bed?" His voice was deeper than normal, presumably from having just woken up.

"Good morning to you, too," I said as I sipped my coffee. My doubts were still swirling in my head, preventing me from moving in closer to him.

House grumbled an unintelligible reply as he leaned against the countertop and stared off into space. This was not a good sign. I wasn't expecting him to come bounding into the kitchen and sweep me off my feet with a smoldering kiss, but an acknowledgment of our new level of intimacy, at the very least, would be nice. I stared out the kitchen window onto the view of the forest and tried desperately to seem as nonchalant as he was.

We stood there in total silence for what seemed like an eternity. With each passing moment, my heart sank more and more. And then suddenly I felt the warmth of House's body behind me as his arms wrapped around me and his nose nuzzled into my neck. No words had been spoken, but with this simple act, I was able to breathe again. I hated myself for being so self-conscious and doubting the connection he and I shared.

I spun around to face him and wrapped my arms tightly around his waist, savoring the closeness all the more for my fleeting moment of apprehension. I breathed deeply of his bare skin, taking in the lingering smell of sleepiness and the masculine scent that was uniquely House.

"The answer is no," he mumbled into my hair.

"What are you talking about?"

"I know you, Cameron. You're worried that I regret coming here, being with you." He pulled back and looked me in the eye to emphasize his words. "And the answer is no. I don't regret it."

I decided to forgo playing innocent and cut straight to the chase. "But you haven't said two words to me this morning. You wouldn't even look at me until just now. What am I supposed to think?"

"Simple: that I'm a grumpy old bastard who can't form a complete sentence until I've had my first cup of coffee and a Vicodin."

I sighed and sank against him, incredibly relieved to hear those words.

"How can you always tell exactly what I'm thinking?"

"Well, you're either very predictable, or I have psychic powers that I never told you about." I looked at him skeptically, and he rolled his eyes. "Predictability's not always a bad thing, you know. For instance, I have a pretty good idea of how you'll respond when I do this."

He leaned down and kissed me deeply and thoroughly, sliding his tongue past my lips and exploring my mouth. I instantly relaxed into him. My hands draped across the back of his neck as his fingers threaded through my hair, and I felt myself moan into his mouth. He broke the kiss and pulled back slightly while still nibbling on my bottom lip.

"And I know that when I kiss you right here, you'll sigh in that very particular way," he said as he kissed my neck just underneath my ear lobe. And dammit if I didn't sigh the second he made contact.

"And I know for a fact that you'll tilt your head back and close your eyes when I do this." House gently nipped at my neck in the same spot, his teeth barely grazing my skin. Despite my best intentions to do otherwise, I felt my head tilting back and my eyes fluttering closed.

"But most importantly, Cameron, I know what this will make you do," he mumbled gruffly into my ear. No sooner had the words left his lips than House lifted me up onto the counter and positioned himself between my thighs, eliciting a gasp of surprise from me.

As he ground himself against me, I could feel the stiffness of his growing erection pressing into my belly, and I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist. I felt lightheaded with arousal, desperate to have him inside me again. I shimmied out of my shorts quickly before reaching for the drawstring of his pj pants. He leaned against me for balance as he kicked the pants across the floor and then guided himself into me in one long, smooth stroke.

God, I could never get accustomed to the thrill of feeling him fill me completely, his body moving in rhythm with mine. Each time I had to remind myself that this was real, that he was here with me, in me, whispering to me that I felt so good and did I have any idea how fucking gorgeous I was.

As we moved together, his thrusts becoming faster, I dragged my nails down his back, drawing a deep groan from his throat. That sound always went straight to my core, and I instantly felt my orgasm drawing near, so close within my reach.

"House," I panted into his ear. He was pumping into me hard, beads of sweat forming on his forehead from the exertion. "Come with me… please…"

He groaned again and nodded his head, burying his face in my neck, and gripped the edge of the counter for leverage. His free hand cupped my breast and began fingering my nipple, and suddenly a wave of intense pleasure washed across my entire body. I cried out and bucked my hips and a second later I felt House empty into me. He placed his hand on the small of my back and pulled me impossibly close to him as his hips thrusted erratically. We grasped at each other and rode it out together until finally collapsing against one another, struggling to slow our breathing.

I smiled against his skin as I placed kisses on his shoulder.

"So you knew exactly what I was going to do? Every sigh, every moan, every movement?"

"They don't call me 'The Brilliant Dr. House' for nothing, you know," he chuckled against the crown of my head. He moaned slightly as he withdrew from me; I instantly felt empty and already longed to have him inside me again.

"And who, precisely, calls you that?"

"You will, by the time I'm done with you," House said as he stood behind me, wrapped his arms around me, and led me down the hall to the bedroom.


	8. Chapter 8

I sprawled out on the porch swing next to the cabin's front door, sipping iced tea while I lazily pushed the swing back and forth with my toe. I felt like I was in a photo shoot for the summer issue of Better Homes and Gardens. The only thing missing from the scene was a ruggedly handsome companion wrapping his arm around me as we laughed at the sheer joy of living life to the fullest.

Unfortunately, my ruggedly handsome companion had taken the rental car out to get some "essentials." I expected him to return soon with junk food and booze. I was absentmindedly watching two sparrows play hide and seek in a nearby pine bough when my cell phone rang. The caller ID told me it was Sarah.

"Are you walking in the land of the living again?" I answered jokingly.

"Ugh," Sarah groaned. "Just barely. I wouldn't wish food poisoning on my worst enemy."

"Well you're in good hands. Justin promised me he'd take good care of you."

"Thank god I married a doctor!" I could hear the smile in her comment. She still got giddy over him after all this time. I could only hope to someday have a relationship half as good as theirs.

"I'm really sorry I bailed on you Allie," Sarah said. "You have no idea how much I was looking forward to having some girls-only time."

"Sarah, it's fine, you're sick. We'll plan something else together this summer."

"Definitely. I'm glad you were still able to go to the cabin. You deserve a vacation."

"The cabin is gorgeous, exactly how you described it! It's so… relaxing," I said with a grin, remembering just how many times House and I had "relaxed" together since we arrived.

The car pulled into the driveway as we chatted about our new plans for a girly getaway. House walked towards the cabin with a grocery bag full of what looked like chips, a bottle of whiskey, and maybe even some Tootsie Roll Pops. He stopped by the porch swing on his way to the door and plopped down next to me. Pointing at my cell phone, I mouthed the word "Sarah" and then playfully put my finger to my lips in hopes of keeping him quiet. I should have known better.

With a wicked grin on his face, House pulled me close to his body and began kissing my neck while his hands massaged my breasts. I tried to push him away and still carry on my conversation with Sarah, but I was fighting a losing battle. His tongue was drawing circles on my skin, driving me mad with lust. I tilted my head back and stifled a moan. Sarah must have been wondering why I had grown so quiet.

Abruptly, House stopped his ministrations, pulled away from me, and stood up. I was left laying on the swing panting in frustration, wondering what the hell he was up to.

"Cameron, I'm gonna get in the hot tub," he said much too loudly for how close he was standing to me. "Hmm, but I think I forgot to bring my swim trunks. Oh well, I'll just have to go skinny dipping! You care to join me?"

The look on my face when he said that must have been priceless. I felt my eyes widen and jaw gape open as I nearly dropped the phone. And then the cheeky bastard winked at me. His clear blue eyes sparkled with mischief. I nearly came right then and there.

I heard Sarah asking who was there with me while I watched House pick up the grocery bag and walk nonchalantly into the cabin.

"Allie? You still there?"

"Yeah, sorry… I uh… I lost my train of thought, sorry." I shook my head and blinked hard, trying to bring myself back to the conversation.

"Allie, who's there with you?" Sarah asked teasingly.

There was no getting out of this one. She had obviously heard him. Sarah had endured countless hours of listening to me alternately ranting like a crazy person, and sobbing from the hurt and frustration House had caused me over the years. And here I was with him, at her family's cabin, while she was home recovering from food poisoning. But I couldn't lie to my best friend.

"It's um… well, I mean, when you got sick, and Justin said I should still go, well I just didn't want to be alone all weekend, and I didn't think you'd mind if I invited a friend, so um… well I brought House…" I tried to just spit it all out, but the last few words came in a hushed mumble. There was an uncomfortable moment of silence that seemed to stretch into infinity.

"House," Sarah finally said in a monotone voice. It was not a question, but rather a simple statement, as if she were trying the word on for size to determine if it truly belonged in this conversation.

"Yeah. House," I said sheepishly.

"As in, Dr. House."

"Yes, Dr. House."

"As in, Dr. House, your son of a bitch boss who brings you to tears on an almost weekly basis, after which you call me so that I can pick up the pieces."

"That would be the one, yeah."

Silence, again. I waited for her to process this information while I pondered what I would say in defense. It surprised me that I immediately wanted to defend him. Sarah was right. He was a bastard who stepped over the line almost constantly, always pushing the boundaries of professional ethics, always making me doubt myself, always saying hurtful things and then accusing me of being childish for showing my emotions. But he was _my_ bastard. I had the privilege of seeing a side of him nobody believed existed.

"And obviously he's not there in a purely professional manner." Again, it was not a question. Sarah knew exactly what was going on, but I wanted her to make all the connections on her own. I wasn't quite ready yet to vividly illustrate all the details.

"No, he's not," I said quietly and evenly. "Look, Sarah, I know what you're thinking. And believe me, those thoughts went through my mind, too. I didn't rush into this on a whim."

I could feel her look of disappointment and concern, though she said nothing, simply sighed.

"I could give you a thousand reasons for why I feel that this is right," I said. "But you wouldn't believe me, and I wouldn't blame you. You're right, he's a jerk. But he's my jerk. I see more in him, and until you meet him, all I can ask is that you trust my judgment."

"Allison," Sarah said with a hint of sadness in her voice. "You're the smartest, strongest woman I've ever met. Of course I trust your judgment. I'm just worried that you'll get hurt again."

"I know, and that's why I keep you around. You're always there to make sure my feet are planted firmly in reality. I'll be careful, I promise."

"Allie?"

"Yeah?"

"You'd better give me all the dirty details when you get home."

I sighed and smiled, relieved that my best friend had my back on this.

"Sarah, you'll get more details than you ever bargained for."

We said our goodbyes and I headed back into the cabin, where I found House sitting on the loveseat in front of the open picture window, a tumbler of whiskey in one hand. He kept his head level but raised his eyes to meet mine, then smirked.

"So I'm your jerk, now, am I?"

I should have known he would eavesdrop. I couldn't quite read his expression. Was he merely intrigued, or was he angry? Or maybe he seemed… pleased?

"You were listening in on our conversation."

"Of course I was." He set the glass down on the end table and rose, closing the gap between us and invading my space, my senses. "You didn't answer my question."

I met his intense gaze head-on, refusing to back down from his interrogation.

"Well, you're certainly a jerk," I said as I stood on my toes and cradled his face in my hands. I brushed my thumb across his lower lip and his tongue darted out to follow it. The red stain on his lips told me he had been sucking on a cherry Tootsie Roll Pop. I gently pulled his head down and placed my lips next to his ear.

"As for my possession of you," I whispered, "well, that's up to you." And then I kissed him fiercely, placed my hands on his body, and let him know in no uncertain terms that he was emphatically mine.


	9. Chapter 9

"_As for my possession of you," I whispered, "well, that's up to you." And then I kissed him fiercely, placed my hands on his body, and let him know in no uncertain terms that he was emphatically mine._

I backed down the hall to the bedroom, grabbing fistfuls of House's t-shirt and dragging him along with me as I explored his mouth with my tongue. He tasted like cherries and whiskey and I wanted more. When we reached the doorway, he tossed his cane to the floor and limped the rest of the way into the room.

I needed to feel his skin against mine. I scrambled out of my clothes then pulled his shirt over his head before making quick work of the zipper on his jeans. Slipping my hand into his boxers and stroking his already hard length, I relished the rapid intake of breath and darting of his tongue across his bottom lip. I don't think he was aware of the effect that unconscious movement always had on me. He did it when he was deep in thought or perhaps nervous, but now I knew he also did it when he was turned on. It instantly brought to mind visions of his tongue darting out against my skin, tasting me, teasing me, taking me to the brink of oblivion.

House placed his hand over mine to still my movements. "Not yet," he said gruffly. "You still haven't answered my question." Holding my wrists tightly, he backed me towards the bed until I fell onto the mattress.

"Yes I did." I was in no mood to talk things out right now. My hand was already reaching for him again, dodging his attempts to swat me away. I managed to pull his jeans and boxers down to his ankles and he stepped out of them, kicking them across the room.

"No, Cameron, you didn't." House knelt on the bed between my legs and massaged up and down my inner thighs with greedy fingers. "You admitted that I'm a jerk, but you said it's up to me whether or not I belong to you."

I was confused, my thoughts hindered by lust. What else was there to explain? My brain was completely focused on his hands moving on my skin and his groin achingly close to mine. _Not close enough._ I shook my head to try to clear my mind.

House laughed, a short, sharp exhalation followed by a Cheshire cat grin. "Don't be passive aggressive." He gripped my legs underneath my knees and pulled them wide apart, exposing me to his hungry gaze. "That's the old you. The new Cameron knows what she wants. She makes sure she gets what she wants." His finger gathered the wetness gleaming on my inner thigh then slipped inside me. I gasped at the sudden invasion.

"So tell me. What. You. Want." It was a demand rather than an inquiry. Each word was punctuated by a thrust of his finger. My head was spinning and I fought for control.

He was right. I was no longer the meek young girl who walked into his office that first day, grateful to have gotten the position but doubtful that I truly deserved it. I had since grown a pair. He had just told me at dinner our first night here, _"This is the first time you were willing to go after what you desired… and that is why I agreed to come here with you."_ Fine, if he wanted to know what I desired, well then I'd show him. Over and over again.

I returned his naughty grin and then clenched down hard on his finger with my inner muscles. His eyebrow arched in amusement, but he quickly gave in to lust. House's eyes closed and his lips parted on a moan.

He thrusted in me a few more times, and with each stroke I squeezed his finger. Each time a little harder, each time eliciting a moan that only served to make me wetter and more desperate. When I couldn't take any more, I grabbed his hand and pulled it away from me, brought his finger to my lips, and licked my juices from his skin with excruciating thoroughness. He watched me in rapt silence, his body suddenly still, every muscle tensed.

I seized my opportunity to gain the upper hand. I rolled him onto his back and straddled him. His eyes grew wide and he instantly started grinding his hips against mine. With both palms planted firmly on his chest, I pinned him to the bed and leaned forward, allowing my hair to brush against his stomach.

"I said it before and I'll say it again," I said firmly. "You're a jerk, House." I placed rough, sloppy kisses on his chest between each sentence.

"A bastard." I moved lower, circling my tongue around his navel.

"An asshole." I nipped at his lower belly, so close now to my target.

"A prick." My hand wrapped around the base of his impossibly hard cock and I made sure he felt the warm breath escape my lips as I spoke. He propped himself up on his elbows as his eyes bore into mine, daring me to continue.

"And you're _mine_." I took his entire length into my throat, cradling the underside of his cock with my tongue. A deep, throaty groan escaped his lips. I smiled with pride, still awed that I could make him make those noises. I wanted to hear it again and again.

I worked my lips and tongue on him feverishly, not letting up when he squirmed underneath me. I wanted to bring him to the threshold, to feel him fighting to maintain control. His fingers threaded through my hair, tugging on my locks to guide me to just the right angle.

I felt his body begin to tense. He was close. But I wasn't ready for this to be over yet and I knew he wasn't either. One second he was holding my head in place and the next he was pulling me away in desperation. House hated not being in control. He was struggling now to regain his composition, his body covered in a sheen of sweat and his breathing rapid and shallow. He looked at me with such hunger, such abandon. I eagerly anticipated his next move.

He rolled our bodies again so that I was underneath his long, lean frame now. He quickly made his way down my torso with his mouth, stopping only to tease and suck on my nipples, working me into a frenzy.

"This possession works both ways, Cameron," he said in a gravely voice. His hands once again spread my legs and he lay down between them. I don't remember ever being so wet, and he obviously noticed my intense arousal. He palmed my sex while I shamelessly ground my hips against his hand. I cried out in frustration; I needed more.

My eyes were squeezed tightly shut, so I jumped at the sudden sensation of his tongue working circles around my clit. God, I was so close already, I knew it wouldn't take much for him to send me over the edge. He easily slid two fingers deep inside me as he flicked at my clit with his tongue, and after just a few thrusts I arched off the bed in ecstasy. Reaching my arms up over my head, I grabbed the headboard just to anchor myself. I felt like I was exploding into a million tiny pieces. I could faintly hear a high, keening moan, and was shocked to realize it was coming from me. His mouth and fingers were relentless, and just when I thought I would surely die from overstimulation, I placed a hand on his wrist and silently begged him to stop.

House let up on me, but wasted no time in pursuing his own gratification. I was still gasping for breath when he grabbed my hips and pushed into me forcefully. My inner muscles were still pulsing from my orgasm, and the expression on his face told me he felt every contraction.

"Fuck, Cameron…" His voice was harsh, strained.

House let go then, suddenly lost in his own world. His hips slammed into me harder and harder and I could feel his cock deep in my belly. He buried his face in my neck, and when I dragged my nails down his back hard enough, I hoped, to leave lingering marks, I felt him bite down on my shoulder. The line between pleasure and pain became blurred.

I sucked his earlobe into my mouth and bit down, tasting his salty sweat and delighting in his deep grunts. "House, come for me. You're mine now, and I want you to come for me."

I felt him grow bigger, thicker inside me, and I knew he was close. Just when I expected him to spill into me, he quickly pulled out and sat back on his heels. I briefly winced at the pain this position must be causing his leg, but watched in complete rapture as he stroked his wet, glistening cock with his own adept hand. His head was tilted back, sweat dripped down his exposed throat, and his eyes were tightly shut in concentration. I was unable to move or say anything, so in awe was I of the gorgeous sight in front of me. After a dozen or so strokes, his mouth opened and he let loose a deep, guttural groan and suddenly he was coming hard, shooting onto my stomach. His hand continued to pump while he uttered obscenities, until he had completely emptied himself on my belly. He collapsed next to me and stretched his legs out, entwining them with mine.

We were both still for several moments, focusing solely on controlling our breathing. Eventually, House rolled over and grabbed his Vicodin vial from the night stand and dry-swallowed two of them. He handed me the box of tissues sitting next to the vial so that I could clean up the evidence of his climax. I mused that if any of my previous lovers had attempted such a move, I would have been disgusted. But with House, it was a huge turn-on. I had never seen him so raw, so uninhibited, so self-indulgent. I wondered how long he would need to recover before he was ready for the next round.

House wrapped his arm around me and I settled into his embrace. His body felt familiar to me now. He placed a lingering kiss on my forehead.

"You know, I think I'm going to like being your jerk."

"House, you've been my jerk for years. You just didn't know it until now."


	10. Chapter 10  Final Chapter

On our last day at the cabin, House said he wanted to just sit around and do absolutely nothing. I had dragged him into town several times over the weekend for sightseeing, and he was getting tired of having to behave himself in public. The prospect of vegging out with him was certainly appealing. I wanted him all to myself as much as possible before we had to return to work. I had no idea what would happen between us once we were back at the hospital, and I was trying not to think about it.

The morning was filled with exactly what House wanted: absolutely nothing. We skimmed through the bookshelves in the living room, sat on the porch swing and enjoyed the breeze, and made a half-assed attempt at completing a crossword puzzle. We finally ordered a pizza for a late lunch and started flipping through the hundreds of tv channels, not really paying much attention to any one show. The search was over, though, when we found a monster truck rally.

"Too bad we don't have any cotton candy," House said, waggling his eyebrows, as he pulled me against his chest and wrapped his arm snugly around my shoulders. I smiled into his t-shirt, surprised that he remembered that detail of the evening we spent together so long ago.

I would never admit to him that I hated monster trucks. I'm sure he knew it, though. But I would gladly suffer through any torture to be able to curl up with him on a couch and eat pizza and laugh at the silliness of the rally. Those moments were rare, when he dropped all pretenses and sarcasm, and just allowed himself to enjoy something as simple as a tv show at face value. I wanted to be able to see him like that more frequently now.

After we had finished stuffing ourselves with pizza, House scooted down on the couch.

"Come here," he said, and he pulled me on top of him, my body stretched out over his and my head resting on his chest. He cradled my head with one graceful hand and threaded his fingers through my hair.

"Am I squishing you?" I tried to shift most of my weight to his left side to protect his leg.

"Nope." The fingers of his other hand lazily drifted up and down my back. "This is perfect," he mumbled.

Occasionally his chest rumbled with a chuckle at the antics going on in the rally, but I blocked out the sounds of the tv and focused on the beating of his heart just underneath my ear. My eyelids grew heavier with each gentle stroke down my spine, and I allowed myself to drift off to sleep.

I'm not sure how long I slept. The sun was low on the horizon when I woke up, so it must have been a couple of hours. The tv was still on, but the volume was turned down all the way. Golden light seeped through the windows and bathed the entire room in a soft glow. House's chest rose and fell in the slow rhythm of slumber; his arm was still draped across my back, his hand resting at the base of my spine underneath my shirt.

Moving gingerly so as not to wake him, I lifted my head and gazed at his sleeping form. He would kill me if I ever said it, but I could only describe him in that moment as beautiful. His tousled hair, long eyelashes against ever so slightly rosy cheeks, dark stubble on his chiseled jawline, and perfectly kissable lips – he was gorgeous. I couldn't help pressing my lips to his softly. Even in his sleep, he responded to my touch. His mouth pursed and he kissed me back briefly before he sighed and turned his head.

I decided to let him sleep while I took a bath. I gently rolled off of him and stood completely still next to the couch for a second until I was sure he was still soundly asleep. He turned onto his side and threw one leg off the edge of the cushion and one arm over the back of the couch, but didn't wake up.

I made the bath as hot as I could stand it and added scented bath salts before slipping into the steaming water. I clipped my hair into a messy bun and leaned back so that the water covered me up to my neck. My eyes closed and my thoughts drifted to our return home in the morning.

This new side of House that had been revealed to me this weekend made me feel simultaneously elated and uneasy. I'd have to be an idiot to be anything less than thrilled with this development in our relationship. But I also knew exactly how fickle he could be with his emotions. He kept me in a constant state of perplexity at work, one minute searching my soul with a lingering glance and the next finding some arbitrary excuse to push me away. I often went home at the end of the day in a tailspin, not sure where I stood with him.

And now, I had no idea how House would react once we got back to the real world. I wasn't fooling myself; I knew we were both on an emotional high at the moment. It's easy to get in touch with your feelings when you're away from all the stresses of everyday life, away from people who know you and who might judge. The true test would come when our plane landed in Princeton and we saw each other in familiar settings, with the same familiar coworkers, going through the same familiar daily routines. I didn't want flowers and sonnets and romantic gestures. I simply wanted House to start treating me like his equal and his partner, rather than just a pretty piece of lobby art who occasionally managed to come up with a good idea or two.

My mind wandered back into reality when I sensed that I was being watched. I kept my eyes closed, but I knew that House was standing in the doorway, looking at me with fascination. I could always tell when he was watching me. His gaze could be so intense, so raw and focused, that sometimes I swore it was a palpable force on my skin. It used to make me uncomfortable, but now I welcomed the tingle in my nerve endings that indicated his watchful presence.

He stood there for a minute or two before entering the bathroom. I finally opened my eyes when he sat on the edge of the tub and dipped his fingertips into the water.

"You're awake," I said with a smile.

"I got cold without my Cameron blanket."

Something in his voice told me that this was not merely one of his sarcastic comments. I think he was speaking literally, which caught me off guard. He really couldn't sleep without my body next to his. In a complete role reversal, I felt like I had to make a suggestive comment to compensate for his seriousness.

"Mmm, don't worry, I'll warm you up." I sat up, ready to get out of the bath and get him into the bedroom, but he placed a firm hand on my shoulder. I searched his eyes. The gears were turning in that incredible mind. He seemed to be having difficult formulating his next words, so I placed my hand on his and waited patiently.

"I'm not good at this," he finally said.

"At what?"

"At, you know, this… talking… thing." I had never seen him struggle so much to complete a sentence.

"You talk to me all the time, House."

"You know what I mean." His hand slid down my arm and into the water before coming to rest on my knee. He stared at my kneecap, refusing to make eye contact with me.

I was pretty sure I did know what he meant. Before me sat the most articulate man I had ever met, suddenly at a loss for words when he tried to express his feelings. It was frustrating, yet incredibly endearing.

"Can we not do this while you're naked? It's distracting me."

"That's a new one," I mused. "You're asking me to put my clothes _on_?"

"Don't get too used to it," he said as he offered me his hand to help me out of the tub. He grabbed a clean, fluffy towel and wrapped it around me, pulling me close to him. "I promise you won't be wearing this towel for long."

We stood like that for a couple of minutes, my back against his chest, his arms wrapped around me, our bodies swaying together ever so slightly. His left hand fell away from my waist and I felt it move behind me. He was reaching for something in his pocket. I craned my neck to look up at his face, and his expression was earnest. Again, I waited while he gathered his thoughts.

I expected him to speak, but instead his lips grazed the back of my neck, sending shivers down my spine. Both of his hands were on my shoulders now, and suddenly he was reaching around and placing a thin silver chain around my neck, fastening the clasp with agile fingers.

I was so shocked by the gesture that I didn't even look at the necklace at first. Jewelry from House? Surely he wasn't turning into a sappy romantic on me.

"House, it's beautiful, when did you get – "

"You haven't even looked at it yet," he interrupted as I turned around to face him.

I held the pendant between my thumb and index finger and inspected it closely. It was a simple oval-shaped disk made of silver. On one side, the words "Primum non nocere" were engraved. The English translation was written in script on the reverse side: "First do no harm."

"The Hippocratic Oath?" I looked up at him quizzically.

"Very astute observation, Dr. Cameron," he said, not unkindly.

I could instantly think of a thousand reasons why House should carry a reminder of this sacred oath with him. He risked people's lives constantly in the name of science. I sometimes wondered if it was a game to him, or if he was indulging in some sick God complex. But why did he think I needed to wear the oath around my neck? I usually acted as his conscience. Indignation welled up inside me. How dare he suggest that I was a careless doctor who needed constant reminding of my duty to my patients?

"Exactly what are you trying to say here?" My voice was steady even as it conveyed my anger at his insinuation. "I'm a good doctor. If anything, you could stand to be reminded of this oath from time to time."

House sighed in frustration. "I told you I'm not good at this." He lifted the pendant from my collarbone, turned it over a few times. "Look, don't be so literal about everything. This isn't an admonition. It's a promise."

"I don't understand."

Graceful fingers brushed a strand of hair away from my eye, tucked it behind my ear. His eyes finally met mine, for the first time since he entered the bathroom.

"You know why I resisted this for so long? Because contrary to popular belief, I don't enjoy hurting people. And I could never live with myself if I hurt you." His features softened with an expression of immense sadness. "More than I already have, that is."

I cradled his face with my hands, forcing him to maintain eye contact. "I'm not fragile, House."

"That's become apparent over the last few years. But I still don't think you're fully aware yet of my capacity for fucking up a good thing."

"So I'm a good thing, hmm?" I said it playfully, but House paused and looked at me seriously.

"Cameron, you're the best thing that's happened to me in a very long time," he said as he wrapped his arms around me once more and nuzzled his nose against my cheek.

I was floored. For him to admit that to himself, let alone verbalize it, astounded me.

"I'm afraid I'll do something or say something to make you walk away," he said, barely above a whisper. As if saying it too loudly would make it a certainty. He pulled back slightly and picked up the necklace again, rubbed his thumb over it.

"First do no harm. You and I both know I'm far from perfect. But I can promise that I will do everything in my power to not hurt you again. I want to try to make this work. I… I want to be with you."

Standing on tiptoes to reach him, I pressed my lips against his in a kiss that spoke everything I felt for him. Emotions I wasn't ready to put into words yet. His promise was all that I needed for the time being. More than I could ask of him, really.

"House, we're already making this work," I whispered against his lips. "I'm yours, you know that, right?"

He breathed a heavy sigh, perhaps of relief, then nodded his head and deepened the kiss. His hands roamed across my upper back, leaving my skin hot and urgent for more. I pulled back from him, removed the clip from my hair, and tugged at my towel, allowing it to fall to the floor. He stared shamelessly at my body, wide-eyed with desire. God, I loved making him react like that.

"You coming?" I said as I walked down the hallway towards the bedroom, swaying my hips seductively.

"Oh my god, yes."

He moved fast for a cripple, only a few steps behind me until we reached the foot of the bed, where I abruptly turned around to face him. He stopped dead in his tracks and again looked me up and down. I had never felt sexier, standing before him completely naked, completely exposed to his unwavering gaze.

I craved his touch, needed to feel his body against mine. Our hands worked together to undress him – he pulled his t-shirt over his head and threw it across the room while I fumbled with his belt buckle and zipper. Finally, we were skin to skin. Those first few seconds of contact, of pressing our bodies together just to feel the heat radiating between us, were always such bliss that it almost didn't matter what followed.

House lowered me to the bed while we kissed deeply, and I whimpered when he nibbled my lower lip. We lay on our sides facing each other, content for the moment to simply explore each other slowly. I wanted to know every inch of him, to discover his most sensitive spots, to find out what would make him moan. Apparently, he had the same idea, because his hands were sliding languorously up and down my body, hitting all the right spots and making me lose all cognitive functioning.

With each sweep of his hand down my body, I felt him move closer to my inner thighs. I spread my legs for him, eager to show him how much he turned me on, how badly I wanted him. His fingers brushed against my entrance, spreading my wetness. He groaned at how slick I was.

"See what you do to me?" I said as I reached for him, wrapped my hand around his erection and thumbed the head. He bit his bottom lip, which was possibly the sexiest thing I've ever seen him do.

House broke our contact then. He moved towards the headboard, sat upright and cushioned his back with pillows as he pulled me onto his lap. I straddled him, hovering above him, kissing his face and neck as I rubbed my clit with his cock. A deep moan escaped his lips.

I sank down onto him slowly, using all the strength I had in my thighs to prolong the action. I wanted him to feel my warmth envelop him inch by excruciating inch. When he was so deep inside me that I could feel him in my stomach, I paused so we could savor the sensation. House rested his forehead against mine, and I could feel his rapid breaths on my cheek. He held my face in his hands, brushed his thumb across my lips, twirled a strand of my hair around his finger.

When he couldn't stand the stillness any longer, he began rocking his hips against mine, urging me to move. I raised up on my knees and sank down again and again, still working at a slow, teasing pace. His eyes slipped closed and his head tilted back.

"Open your eyes, House," I said breathlessly.

His eyes snapped open and met mine with intensity. We found a steady rhythm and moved together, never breaking eye contact.

"House…" I grasped his hands in mine and laced our fingers together, pushing against him for leverage. "Tell me your favorite part of this. Of us."

He grinned and squeezed my hands tighter. "I should've figured you'd be a talker in bed."

"I'm serious," I mumbled against his mouth.

"I have to pick just one thing?"

"Mmmhmm… Mmmm!" My answer in the affirmative turned into a moan as House sank his teeth into my neck, just hard enough to send a jolt of pleasurable pain through my nerve endings.

"That right there. That's my favorite thing." He disentangled one hand from mine and traced an invisible line from the base of my throat down my chest and around the swell of my breast. His finger gently squeezed my nipple and I gasped. "I love how sensitive you are to my touch. How expressive you are. How vocal you are."

His hand moved to my other breast and toyed with that nipple, teasing it into an impossibly tight peak. When he pinched it, the sensation shot straight down to my core, and I cried out his name as my inner muscles clamped down around him.

"I love hearing your moans and sighs, and I love knowing that I'm responsible for them. I love making you lose control." As he spoke the last sentence, his hips thrust up sharply against me, pushing in deeper than I thought possible. He moved so quickly and it affected me so powerfully that I collapsed forward against his chest, gripping his shoulders with white-knuckled intensity.

"Your turn, Cameron," he said as he wrapped his arms around me. "What's your favorite part?"

I stilled my movements briefly, ready to demonstrate. "You're the musician, it makes sense that you'd be attracted to the more audibly pleasing aspects of lovemaking. I, however, am more appreciative of visuals."

I sat upright and pulled off of him completely. His erection was mere inches away from my entrance, achingly hard and swollen, glistening with my wetness, twitching in anticipation. I wrapped my hand around the base and held him still as I rubbed myself against the head of his cock. His lips parted and he panted. A series of strained expressions crossed his face, each one more beautiful than the last. His brow was covered with a sheen of sweat, making his hair cling in damp curls to his skin.

"Like that," I said. "God, I never get tired of watching you. Do you have any idea how gorgeous you are?"

He opened his eyes and a blush crept across his face. _I made House blush._ Once again, I slowly sank down onto him.

"Look at us, House." I squeezed the base of his cock gently, and I felt him swell inside me. "Look at how perfectly we fit together."

We both watched, observed with almost scientific scrutiny, as our bodies joined. When his cock had disappeared inside me completely, he let out a breath he had been holding, and suddenly we were moving with each other in hard, deep thrusts.

We were both close. A sense of urgency came over us, and House slipped his hand between our bodies. His thumb found my clit and rubbed in small circles, and I cried out. Fuck, he felt so good inside me.

"Come with me Cameron," he whispered into my ear. I placed my palms flat against his chest and rested my forehead against his, watching his face intently. I couldn't take my eyes off of him.

The pressure built up deep in my belly until finally it burst, washing over my entire body. I arched my back and House supported my spine with his hands. He thrust into me again and then he was coming too, hard and hot and forceful. I felt him spilling into me as he grunted my name.

We fell to the bed, bodies still joined, and we held each other as we steadied our breathing. Eventually he withdrew from me and I turned on my side so that my back was snuggled against his chest. He draped his arm protectively around my waist and pulled me even closer to him.

I felt his breathing grow slower and deeper, and I knew he was drifting on the edges of sleep. My hand reached up to the necklace still clasped around my neck. I no longer worried about what would happen to us when we returned home. I knew that House would still be a jerk, and would still frustrate the hell out of me at times. But he was a man of his word, and I trusted that he would make a genuine effort to treat me with respect. Even, dare I say it, with love.

His hand left my waist and covered my fingers on top of the pendant. He rubbed the pendant with his thumb, as if he were reaffirming his promise even in his sleep. I laced our fingers together, brought his hand to my lips and kissed his palm, then placed our joined hands over my heart.

I relaxed in his embrace and gave in to the heaviness in my eyelids. There was a lot to look forward to the next day. I was ready to go home with House and face all of the challenges of real life with him by my side.

_Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who stuck with this story despite the __massive__ lag time between chapters. I had a hell of a good time writing it, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Thanks also to everyone who offered advice, ideas, constructive criticism, and inspiration. I'm kind of sad to see this one go, but all good things must come to an end, right?_


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